DVB journalist questioned after being sued by civil servant

While DVB journalists were frequently arrested and targeted in the past by the military government, the organisation’s journalists inside have been able to work more freely in the wake of the country’s most recent reforms.

Magway-based DVB reporter Zaw Pe was interrogated by the police this weekend after he was reportedly sued by a divisional education officer.

Zaw Pe was charged with disturbing a working public official and trespassing on government property at a divisional education office on 24 August in Magway.

According to the DVB journalist, he was at the office to conduct interviews concerning scholarships that had been awarded to Burmese students by a Japanese foundation.

Zaw Pe was questioned at a Magway police station on Saturday for eight hours and said the police confiscated his video camera, memory card and press badge.

“They questioned me about personal details,” said Zaw Pe. “I was released after my friends vouched for me.”

The DVB journalist said he was consulting a lawyer to assist him with the pending legal proceedings.

Magway police station confirmed that the incident was reported but refused to provide any further details reagarding the case.

The row comes after the Burmese government has gradually relaxed its draconian grip on the fourth estate. While pre-censorship of publications was nixed last week, arbitrary laws remain on the books and journals are frequently suspended for overstepping the opaque legal bounds that work to keep the press in check.